IV

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 212

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related

Intolerance presents a unique opportunity to address global discrimination.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 27, 2001

Mr. LANTOS (for himself, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr.

COX, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. WU, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey,

Mr. MATSUI, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. CANTOR, Mr. BISHOP, Mr. PITTS, Mr. TOWNS,

Mr. HOEFFEL, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. NADLER, Mr. BERMAN, Ms.

MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. HOYER,

and Mr. RUSH) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to

the Committee on International Relations

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that

the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance presents a

unique opportunity to address global discrimination.

Whereas, since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights in 1948, the international community has

taken significant steps to eradicate racism, xenophobia,

sexism, religious intolerance, slavery, and other forms of

discrimination;
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Whereas national and international measures to combat discrimination and promote equality, justice, and dignity for

all individuals have proven inadequate;

Whereas the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance (‘‘WCAR’’), to be held in Durban, South Africa, from August 31 through September 7, 2001, aims to

create a new world vision for the fight against racism and

other forms of intolerance in the twenty-first century,

urge participants to adopt anti-discrimination policies

and practices, and establish a mechanism for monitoring

future progress toward a discrimination-free world;

Whereas the causes and manifestations of contemporary racism, xenophobia, sexism, religious intolerance, slavery,

and other forms of discrimination are many and increasingly complex and subtle;

Whereas victims of racism, xenophobia, sexism, religious intolerance, slavery, and other forms of discrimination have

suffered and continue to suffer from the deprivation of

their fundamental rights and opportunities;

Whereas, to varying degrees, states, societies, and individuals

have adopted the notion that racial, cultural, religious,

and social diversity can enrich a country and its citizens;

Whereas participants of the WCAR currently plan to discuss

remedies, redress, and other mechanisms to provide recourse at national, regional, and international levels for

victims of racism, xenophobia, sexism, religious intolerance, slavery, and other forms of discrimination;

Whereas the achievement of full and effective equality between peoples requires that states, civic groups, and indi-
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viduals cooperate to address the real difficulties in attaining societies free of discrimination;

Whereas some preparatory materials for the WCAR take positions on current political crises which, if adopted in the

final WCAR Declaration and Program of Action, could

exacerbate existing tensions;

Whereas the attempt by some to use the WCAR as a platform to resuscitate the divisive and discredited notion

equating Zionism with racism, a notion that was overwhelmingly rejected by United Nations Resolution 3379

(1991), would undermine the goals and objectives of the

conference; and

Whereas the United States encourages respect for an individual’s human rights and fundamental freedoms without

distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language,

religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status: Now, therefore, be

it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) encourages all participants in the United

3 Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial

4 Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance

5 (‘‘WCAR’’) to seize this singular opportunity to

6 tackle the scourges of racism, xenophobia, sexism,

7 religious intolerance, slavery, and other forms of dis8 crimination which have divided people and wreaked

9 immeasurable suffering on the disempowered;

10 (2) recognizes that since racism, racial discrimi11 nation, xenophobia, and related intolerance exist to
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1 some extent in every region and country around the

2 world, efforts to address these prejudices should

3 occur within a global framework and without ref4 erence to specific regions, countries, or present-day

5 conflicts;

6 (3) exhorts the participants to utilize the

7 WCAR to mitigate, rather than aggravate, racial,

8 ethnic, and regional tensions;

9 (4) urges the WCAR to focus on concrete steps

10 that may be taken to address gross human rights

11 violations that were motivated by racially and eth12 nically based animus and on devising strategies to

13 help eradicate such intolerance; and

14 (5) commends the efforts of the Government of

15 the Republic of South Africa in hosting the WCAR.

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